Changing Chattooga – Mountain River in Autumn

The headwaters of the Chattooga River in North Carolina, dressed in freshly fallen fall leaves.

There's not many things more beautiful than a mountain river; even less more beautiful than a mountain river in autumn. This perfect scene is from a private stretch of the Chattooga River, near Cashiers, North Carolina. Fall is one of my favorite times in Western North Carolina, and I always try to visit somewhere along the Chattooga River. In addition to the trees that line the river popping with color, the fallen leaves congregate on the mossy rocks to put on a true Autumn show. This photo was taken about a week before peak color, and the air was ripe with the scent of change.